Forgive Me by Lesley Pearse
In the space of a week Eva Patterson goes from being a happy young woman in a seemingly happy home to having to fend for herself when she loses both her parents. You're probably thinking that there's been a tragic accident, but that would have been easier to cope with. She returned home one day to find her mother's body in a blood-filled bath and a note begging Forgive Me. Straight after the funeral her father informs her that he isn't her father and he'd like her out of the house - and adds that she should make certain that she doesn't take anything which isn't hers. Her mother had bequeathed her a studio in London, but despite being in a nice area, it's the definition of squalor. It's now up to Eva to rebuild her life.
| Forgive Me by Lesley Pearse | |
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| Category: Women's Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: Another good read from a reliable author. Be warned, though - it's one of those 'just another chapter' books which keeps you reading for far longer than you planned. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 512 | Date: February 2013 |
| Publisher: Michael Joseph | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0718159009 | |
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You could be forgiven for thinking that Eva was a magnet for trouble as more tragedies befall her than you'd believe reasonable, but she's more than a little naive in her early days on her own and too willing to think that everyone is as straightforward as she is. But this 'niceness' does have an upside: in a city not exactly renowned for being user-friendly a lot of people are willing to rally round to help her to renovate the studio - and at a bargain price. You might think that's a lovely story - but Eva decides that she wants to find out about her birth father and she begins her investigations with a box of keepsakes which she found in the studio loft. It's a tribute to Lesley Pearse's skill that the 'are you my father?' moments don't turn into farce!
It's a very easy read, but don't be fooled - this book touches on some very serious topics. No - I'm not going to tell you what they are as that would spoil the book for you. That element of shock is important to the story, as you ricochet from one crisis to the next. You'll want everything to work out for Eva: she's had something of a wild past (hard to credit, but true) and you'll love her determination to make something of herself. I'm not going to tell you about the men in her life either as we'd quickly be into spoiler territory, but I did appreciate that they had their strengths and frailties too.
I read the book over a period of about thirty six hours. It's a 'just another chapter' book and you eventually reach a 'well, I'm not putting it down now' point. It's ideal for when you want a good heart-warming read and are not worried about losing a weekend in doing it! I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
We've recently been impressed by Pedigree Mum by Fiona Gibson and How We Met by Katy Regan. If you have a week to spare you could buy all three!
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You can read more book reviews or buy Forgive Me by Lesley Pearse at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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